Theft Suspect Arrested In Celina, Attempts To Run Over Deputy

On Sunday, January 21st the Celina Police Department responded to a report of a person under the hood of a truck at Bud’s Jeep Chrysler at 945 S. Main St., Celina. Upon arrival officers found the white pickup truck with the hood open. Officers began searching the area and requested assistance from the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office to saturate the area in an attempt to locate the suspect.

Mercer County Sherriff’s Deputy Sites located a 2011 Dodge pickup truck parked on Murlin Avenue near South St. He recognized it as a vehicle associated with other property crimes in Mercer and surrounding counties. The truck is registered to 31 year old Jason Duane Amspaugh of Union City, Ohio.

As officers were checking the vehicle, which has dark tinted windows which were fogged over, the lights came on and an officer could see a male hunched down inside the cab. He was later identified as the owner, Jason Amspaugh. Celina officers and Mercer County Sheriff’s Deputies had the truck surrounded and were ordering the Amspaugh out of the truck.

Amspaugh started the truck and accelerated towards Mercer County Sheriff’s Deputy, Detective Fortkamp. Fortkamp was able to get out of the way of the truck as it sped away southbound on Murlin. Amspaugh struck a parked car and then went south across Schunk Road., striking a ditch and coming to rest.

Jason Amspaugh was taken to the Mercer County Jail. His pickup truck was impounded and a search warrant was obtained for the truck from Judge Katherine Speelman. Celina Police searched the truck and located numerous stolen items, including items stolen from Bud’s Jeep Chrysler.

Through an on-going investigation involving multiple agencies in surrounding counties and interviews after Amspaugh’s arrest, Detectives with the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office applied for and obtained a search warrant through Darke County Common Pleas Court for Amspaugh’s property located at 1036 Ellis Road., Union City, Ohio. An estimated of over $75,000 worth of stolen merchandise was recovered during the execution of the search warrant. The Mercer County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Darke County Sheriff’s Office, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Auglaize County Sheriff’s Office, Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office and Darke County Prosecutor’s Office.

Amspaugh is being held for a bond of $500,000 as the case is being reviewed by the Mercer County Prosecutor Matthew K. Fox. Current charges filed are Felonious Assault on a Peace Officer (felony of the 1st degree) and Fleeing (felony of the 3rd degree).